Do God's Will

Yesterday, we encouraged everyone to do a little research in the Bible to find the actual places where God has said in His Word “It is God’s will that…” and then walk in obedience to those things. I want to take that challenge a step further today.

Today, I want to challenge all of you who read this blog regularly to dig for God’s will in His Word. What do I mean by this? Well, one of the things that we learn in Hermeneutics class (“Hermeneutics” is $34 word that simply means “Bible study principles”), is that every Scripture passage we read has an interpretation, and possibly a number of applications. There are at least two applications that can be made from every Scripture. The primary application (or the first application made from the original author, readers and speakers), and the secondary application (or the application made by us in the 21st century).

Let me try and explain how the primary application works. When Paul wrote the book of Philippians, he was writing to a specific group of people for a specific purpose at a specific time. The things that he said, and the people to whom he said them, are of vital importance as we seek to understand the primary application of the book of Philippians. To know what the primary application is of a passage, it is paramount that we figure out who wrote it, to whom they wrote it, where the people were to whom it was written, what the circumstances were surrounding reason for the writing of the book, and the place in which the recipients lived. All of these things can be found in a commentary on the book you are reading, or sometimes in the notes at the beginning of each book of the Bible. 

A word of caution here: it may be tempting to skip the primary application since it has little to do with where we are today. But as you will find out, if you don’t understand the primary application, it may lead you into error when determining the secondary application.

The secondary application is trying to figure out what the Scriptures are saying to us today…right here…in the 21st century. This is where a careful study of the primary applications can really help us to determine what God is trying to tell us here today. When you study a passage, and you see how God used that passage to speak to the people of that time, it becomes easier to figure out what God is saying to you. But when you figure that out, be careful.

Read these words of Jesus and then let’s finish our post.

When you get a secondary application that is right on, and that you know is from God, you better be careful to follow that application. Why? Because as James says, “The one who knows the good they ought to do and does not do it, to them it is sin!” Simply put: When you know what God wants you to do, not doing that is sinful.

So get out there and study, and figure out what God wants of you. Then walk in the obedience that will bring you the blessing of God…His eternal peace, joy and confidence!

Feel free to comment below and we’ll see you on Sunday!